Proposed nutrition label changes

tofeelwell

Hi All,

My Sunday newspaper had a version ot this AP story discussing proposed changes to the nutrition label required by the US Food & Drug administration: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_FOOD_LABELS?SITE=VABRM&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

After getting past my first thought of "what will this do to the MFP food database?" , I realized that some of the changes sounded valuable e.g. removal of the % of daily value as that value varies widely from person to person. The story doesn't provide specifics but it sounds like the new label is still in design form and also that the food industry is heavily involved. I don't think the food industry lobbyists will prioritize label content that puts nutrition first.

What is on your wish list for improved labelling? Our ideas can be discussed here and communicated to the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/CFSAN/ContactCFSAN/default.htm

For me, I support labelling that tells me the quantity and % of each pure food or additive included rather than the current food content listing that ranks by list order only, without quantity or %. I would also like some labelling that somehow gives consumers glycemic comparisons of carbs included.

Ruthann2

bump

servilia

I love the glycemic index idea!!

Aeriel

I would love to see more details on a label. For example, I know that most berries are high in potassium (good to counteract sodium) but this is rarely listed on a label. I'd like more information on vitamin and mineral content, rather than just sodium, vitamins A,C, calcium and iron. Then I would know if I need my multivitamin or maybe just a few basic vitamins or minerals added to my diet.

dave4d

I also read the article on a website from one of our local news stations. I like the idea of having serving size realistically shown. Like rather than an individually packaged product that people assume is one serving, but instead when you read the label it tells you it is actually 2.5 servings.

TaushasJourney

I wish it were required to state on the label whether or not the food contains gluten!

MzBug

Having the g/mcg amounts rather than the % would be great. I don't think having the exact breakdown of everything is necessary on the label, but I would like to have that information available online at a central database...maybe the USDA website. Maybe if every food product had the last 3 dated updated nutritional information breakdowns by g/mcg were available for public viewing. If each country could have that information available ... that would be wonderful!

servilia

ok this is kind of futuristic but it would be great if the barcode contained ALL nutritional info and if there were little scanners in the aisles that would show/print out the info.

HMonsterX

I wish they would just say how much of what is in the packet! A 12.5g pack of something, and it gives you nutritional information per 100g! NO! Im not eating 100g! im eating the one packet, of 12.5g!